Local News

50 more students = $1.5 million more for KGBSD

An extra 34 regular-education students, plus 16 more intensive special-needs students, means the Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District will receive nearly $1.5 million more than budgeted for this school year, bringing the new budget to about $36.4 million.

The School Board will vote Wednesday on a motion asking the Borough Assembly for permission to adjust the district’s budget.

In a memo, district Business Manager Matthew Groves says most of the additional revenue is from the 16 intensive students. The district received $1.2 million more for those students alone.

The additional revenue means the district can afford some items that were not funded in the original budget. Those include library supplies, travel and training, custodial supplies and summer school.

Also on Wednesday, the School Board will discuss the idea of a seasonal sales tax dedicated to student activities.

The meeting starts at 5:30 p.m. in Borough Assembly chambers at the White Cliff building. There will be time for public comment at the start and end of the meeting.

The City of Ketchikan has been working to become designated as a tsunami-ready community for a few years. The sirens and signs are already in place, and to complete the designation, this week the city is doing tsunami outreach. A representative from the National Weather Service is in town to present information and answer questions. more